IN the PBA, they call him the “Living Legend”.

Before that, it’s the “Barrelling Big J.”

If you were a basketball player on the opposite side of the floor, the last player you would like to see is Robert Salazar Jaworski coming hard with a basketball with the game on the line and the shot clock running out.

You’d imagine seeing a speeding bus on EDSA during the wee hours. Or, a wayward train that went out of control on a dimly-lit railroad. A mismatch in every sense of the word.

Maybe what an Atoy Co or a Philip Cezar or a Bernie Fabiosa felt while going up against Jaworski at the height of the famed Toyota-Crispa rivalry back in the late 70s.

Long after his retirement, Jaworski remains as the most recognizable figure on the hardcourt.

As popular and well-loved as Manny Pacquiao to boxing, Paeng Nepomuceno to bowling, Eugene Torre to chess, Butch Chase to motocross and Efren “Bata” Reyes to billiards.

They made sports look as easy as reciting the alphabet. All world-class.

Twelve years ago, I wrote this story about Jaworski and his lasting legacy in basketball when he turned 63 years old on March 8, 2009.
Jaworski is now 75.

And last Oct. 16, the entire basketball- loving Filipino nation gave the only “Living Legend” the ultimate compliment by honoring him as the first PBA player with his own special commemorative stamp.

In fact, he was the first personality to be honored by the Philippine Postal Corporation with special commemorative stamps.

The collection is the first of the “Salamat: Pagpupugay sa mga Alamat” series that honors outstanding Filipinos in line with the 75th anniversary of the Philippines’ first stamp.

No less that Jaworski’s son Dodot Jaworski, and former teammate and great rival Ramon Fernandez were present during a short but memorable ceremony held at the National Post Office Main Bldg. in Manila.

The release of the special Jaworski stamp is in commemoration of the first issued stamp in the country 75 years ago in 1946.

Interestingly, the architect behind Barangay Ginebra’s immortal “never-say-die'” spirit in the PBA, also turned 75 last March 8.

“I do not have enough words to truly express my gratitude. You have made me feel a different sense of pride and accomplishment incomparable to any other,” said Jaworski in his short message read by son Dodot.

“Never ever did I imagine that I would be put in a stamp of our beloved Republic.”

Jaworski, a 13-time PBA champion and PBA MVP in 1978, mentioned God, wife Evelyn, his children and grandchildren for providing the inspiration.

Jaworski, who was also elected as Senator from 1998 to 2004, also mentioned his fans and followers for the support they’ve given him from then until now.

Aside from Jaworski Jr. and Fernandez, the other personalities present were PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio and select members of Barangay Ginebra’s never-say-die team — LA Tenorio, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, Mark Caguioa, Stanley Pringle, and Joe Devance.

Nowadays, Jaworski maybe out of sight, but surely not out of mind of avid basketball fans.

His son Dodot said the well-loved basketball hero is staying mostly at home at the Corinthian Gardens while waiting for treatmentfor a rare blood disease.

In an interview with media personality Anthony Taberna on his Youtube channel, Dodot said his father is suffering from a blood disease, where his “iron level is high, but at same time anemic.”

“We’ve been trying to look for doctors here and abroad, but none of them can understand kung ano ‘yung nangyayari sa kanya,” said Jaworski Jr.

….“Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang paghananap ng paraan para mahanap kung ano ‘yung cause ng blood disorder. Kaya we continue to ask for prayers na sana we’ll find a solution dito sa kanyang karamdaman,” he said.

There are days that Jaworski is in high spirits and doing very well, but there are also days when he’s silent.

“Lumalabas na ‘yung mga sakit sa tuhod, sakit ng likod. He’s OK naman, but he’s not 100 percent in terms of his physical strength,” he said.

Jaworski’s long-time associate, Reli de Leon, said the numbers validate Jaworski’s claim to greatness.

Consider:

— Most Valuable Player, 1978
— All-time career averages in 24 seasons (1975-98) — 12.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 6.1 apg, 1.0 spg.
— Mythical Team Member, six times (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986)
— Achievement Award, seven (10,000 points, 5,000 points, 2,000 defensive rebounds, 1,000 offensive rebounds, 5,000 assists, 2,000 assists and 500 steals).
— Champion coach, four times (1986 Open, 1988 All-Filipino, 1991 First Conference, 1997 Commisisoner’s Cup)
“Basketball lives in his heart, even now,” said De Leon, now the head of the Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM).

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Happy 49th anniversary to the Philippine Journalists, Inc., publishers of People’s Journal, People’s Tonight and Women’s Journal, on October 21.

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